IP multicast technology in a wireless communication system has become increasingly important in recent years as the advent of ubiquitous computing has proliferated. IP multicast technology in a wireless communication system provides the ability for communications to be disseminated from one wireless device to many receiving wireless devices. As is known in the art, a multicast packet is used to send one communication to many devices. In the prior art, the process of sending the multicast packet to many devices requires that the multicast packet be forwarded and replicated many times which floods the wireless communication system with multicast packets.
Normally, the flooding of the communication system is not a problem. However, in a wireless communication system, where wireless devices are small and have limited power and storage capabilities, the flooding of the wireless communication system with packets causes the wireless devices to consume unnecessary power, waste bandwidth, and strains the wireless devices' limited storage capabilities.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved method of sending IP multicast packets in a wireless communication system.
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